From: Reijer Grimbergen FU IS SAGA-U AC JP> Date: 28 sep 2001 Subject: This week in Shukan Shogi (no. 910, September 26th 2001) This week in Shukan Shogi the second game of the Oza match between Habu and Kubo. Before the match, Kubo expressed the wish that he could beat Habu at his best, but after two things I think he might want to take that back. Like in the first game, Habu played at the top of his abilities and played perfect shogi. Only one strategic mistake by Kubo was enough to win. Here is the game with comments: Black: Kubo Toshiaki, Challenger White: Habu Yoshiharu, Oza 49th Oza-sen, Game 2, September 21st 2001 1.P1g-1f 00:01:00 00:00:00 The first time this move has been played in a title match. If things develop normally (like in this game), it often only means a change in the order of moves. Kubo said he had planned to play this some time in advance. More than anything else, it seems to be a little psychological stab. Habu was not impressed: "This is not so unusual anymore nowadays". 2.P3c-3d 00:01:00 00:01:00 3.P7g-7f 00:01:00 00:01:00 4.P8c-8d 00:01:00 00:01:00 5.P6g-6f 00:01:00 00:01:00 6.P1c-1d 00:01:00 00:01:00 7.S7i-7h 00:03:00 00:01:00 8.S7a-6b 00:03:00 00:03:00 9.R2h-6h 00:06:00 00:03:00 10.K5a-4b 00:06:00 00:04:00 11.S3i-3h 00:07:00 00:04:00 12.K4b-3b 00:07:00 00:06:00 13.S7h-6g 00:10:00 00:06:00 14.P5c-5d 00:10:00 00:11:00 15.G6i-5h 00:20:00 00:11:00 16.G6a-5b 00:20:00 00:16:00 17.K5i-4h 00:26:00 00:16:00 18.S6b-5c 00:26:00 00:30:00 19.P4g-4f 00:27:00 00:30:00 20.P8d-8e 00:27:00 00:44:00 21.B8h-7g 00:27:00 00:44:00 22.P7c-7d 00:27:00 00:44:00 23.K4h-3i 00:30:00 00:44:00 24.S5c-6d 00:30:00 00:44:00 25.S6g-7h 00:38:00 00:44:00 Considered the best way to defend against this attack. Habu has something interesting up his sleeve, though. 26.P9c-9d 00:38:00 00:49:00 27.P9g-9f 00:39:00 00:49:00 28.S6d-5c!? 00:39:00 01:30:00 "What the hell is that?" was one of the comments heard in the press room. Indeed, moving this silver back looks weak-hearted to say the least. However, this is actually a high class technique that only works in professional play. Normal is 28.N7c, but Habu said he didn't like that move. 29.K3i-2h 01:05:00 01:30:00 Kubo spent 26 minutes on this move and he probably needed any minute. The problem for black is that after 29.S6g, white just plays 30.S6d after which black has nothing better than 31.S7h again, leading to sennichite. Playing the game again with reversed colors is good for Habu, who will play with the black pieces then. Kubo finally decided upon 29.K2h, but with the king in the castle, it is harder to start an attack on the head of the white king. The game now becomes a slow strategical build-up in which Habu gets the time to build a strong castle. 30.B2b-3c 01:05:00 01:31:00 31.P3g-3f 01:06:00 01:31:00 32.K3b-2b 01:06:00 01:32:00 33.N2i-3g 01:15:00 01:32:00 34.P4c-4d 01:15:00 01:32:00 35.P6f-6e 01:17:00 01:32:00 36.G5b-4c 01:17:00 01:55:00 37.G5h-4g 01:17:00 01:55:00 38.G4a-3b 01:17:00 02:11:00 39.P5g-5f 01:19:00 02:11:00 40.N8a-7c 01:19:00 02:12:00 41.S7h-6i 01:19:00 02:12:00 42.K2b-1b?! 01:19:00 02:19:00 Interesting move. It is hard to play the anaguma with the pawns on 7d and 1d, so Habu aims for another castle. However, with the edge pawns advanced, the king now looks vulnerable to attack. 43.P9f-9e 01:54:00 02:19:00 Now or never. Kubo wants to get a lance and knight in hand to attack the white king on the edge. If he waits for S2b, there is no way for black to attack. 44.P9dx9e 01:54:00 02:19:00 45.L9ix9e 01:54:00 02:19:00 46.P*9d 01:54:00 02:21:00 47.L9ex9d 01:56:00 02:21:00 48.L9ax9d 01:56:00 02:23:00 49.P*9e 02:02:00 02:23:00 50.P8e-8f 02:02:00 02:28:00 51.P9ex9d? 02:13:00 02:28:00 Aggressive Kubo style move, but a mistake. He should have played 51.Bx8f. If then 52.L*8e P6d Px6d Bx6d or 52.Lx9e Bx9e Rx8g+ Bx7c+ +Rx8i P1e are both good for black. 52.P8fx8g+ 02:13:00 02:32:00 53.B7g-9e 02:16:00 02:32:00 54.B3c-5a! 02:16:00 02:33:00 Simple but good. With this bishop gone from 3c, a future knight on 2e will not be so threatening. 55.P*8d 02:34:00 02:33:00 56.L*9a! 02:34:00 02:56:00 This stops white's advance. With a four general castle and a threatening promoted pawn, white has the advantage. 57.P9d-9c+ 02:52:00 02:56:00 58.L9ax9c 02:52:00 02:56:00 59.P8d-8c+ 02:52:00 02:56:00 60.R8bx8c 02:52:00 02:56:00 61.L*8d 02:52:00 02:56:00 62.N7c-8e 02:52:00 02:56:00 63.L8dx8c+ 02:55:00 02:56:00 64.B5ax9e 02:55:00 02:56:00 65.+L8cx9c 03:10:00 02:56:00 66.B9ex6h+ 03:10:00 03:03:00 67.S6ix6h 03:10:00 03:03:00 68.K1b-2b! 03:10:00 03:03:00 Habu sees that black has no good drops. The only weakness in the white position was the king on 1b. With that weakness gone, "there will never be any moves to play" (Kubo). 69.R*8b 03:27:00 03:03:00 70.R*6i 03:27:00 03:28:00 71.S6h-5g 03:44:00 03:28:00 72.B*6g 03:44:00 03:39:00 73.G4i-3i 03:56:00 03:39:00 74.B6gx7f+ 03:56:00 03:39:00 75.P3f-3e 04:21:00 03:39:00 Black desperately tries to create some attack. It is actually quite hard to find the winning plan for white, but Habu is not to be denied. 76.R6ix8i+ 04:21:00 04:00:00 77.P3ex3d 04:21:00 04:00:00 78.+B7f-5h 04:21:00 04:01:00 79.L*3f 04:41:00 04:01:00 80.P*3e 04:41:00 04:13:00 81.L3fx3e 04:41:00 04:13:00 82.S5c-4b! 04:41:00 04:13:00 A fine defensive move that decides the game. 83.B*3c 04:42:00 04:13:00 This is clearly not enough, but also after 83.P3c+ Nx3c P*3d Gx3d Lx3d +Bx5g white wins (if Gx5g then N*3f followed by +Rx3i is easy). 84.K2b-1b 04:42:00 04:18:00 85.G3i-2i 05:51:00 04:18:00 86.P*3f 05:51:00 04:24:00 87.S5g-4h 05:57:00 04:24:00 88.P3fx3g+ 05:57:00 04:24:00 89.S3hx3g 05:57:00 04:24:00 90.N*2e 05:57:00 04:27:00 91.S3g-3f 05:57:00 04:27:00 92.N*1g 05:57:00 04:32:00 93.G2i-3i 05:57:00 04:32:00 94.+B5hx4g 05:57:00 04:32:00 95.S3fx4g 05:57:00 04:32:00 96.G*2i 05:57:00 04:32:00 Resigns 05:08:00 04:32:00 Mate after 97.Gx2i +Rx2i and after 97.K1h Nx3c Px3c+ B*2h black has no defense. Another fine performance by Habu, who outplayed Kubo for the second game in a row. Kubo must feel really helpless against a Habu who looks like a man on a mission. He needs only one more win to get his 10th consecutive Oza title. There seems to be no way for Kubo to win all three remaining games. In other Shogi news: ==================== * Habu managed to get a rematch for the Ryu-O title against Fujii by winning the final game of the challenger match against Kimura. The first two game were all Habu (except for the final move of game 1), but this time it was different. Kimura got a very good position with white in the Yokofudori and seemed to be winning for a long time. However, he underestimated Habu's ability to fight back and the game got closer and closer. In the end, Kimura made a mistake that turned the razor sharp position suddenly into a losing one. A good show by Kimura, who seems to be destined to play title matches in the future. However, he will have to wait a little longer. * In the B2 class of the Junisen, round 4 was played. The biggest game was between leaders Namekata and Tosa and this also turned out the biggest surprise as Tosa won. Furthermore, it was not a lucky win but fine play by Tosa that got him the point. For Namekata this is a big loss, as his Junisen position is bad because of his promotion last year. Not only Tosa, but also Fukaura, Nakagawa (both 4-0) and Suzuki Daisuke (3-1) now have the advantage in the promotion race. For me, suddenly Fukaura and Suzuki seem to be the promotion favorites. Nakagawa will play a vital role with games against both Fukaura and Namekata still to play. * In C2 also the 4th round was played and it was a day with no less than 4 replays after sennichite. Especially Yagura had to work extremely hard for his win, as he had a won position in the first game (which ended in sennichite) and then won the replay against rookie Chiba, who is now 1-3. The rookies in the class are having a tough time. Ueno lost his third game without much of a chance against Ito No (who is has four straight wins) and 18-year old Hashimoto lost his second game against Yamasaki. Only Sasaki doesn't seem to have any problems with adapting to the long thinking times, as he won his third game against Sakurai. Leaders after four rounds are Toyokawa, who won a very important game against Watanabe, Tamura, Takano, Matsuo and Ito No. To be honest, these were not the players I expected at the top of the table (except maybe for Tamura), so I think it is still likely that one or two of the players with 3-1 (eight of them) might catch up. * The Osho league has an interesting line-up this year with Tanigawa, Nakahara, Kubo, Sato Yasumitsu, Goda, Yonenaga and Moriuchi. Biggest surprise is of course former Osho Yonenaga. It will be interesting if he can hold his own against all the young stars. The first game in the league was between Goda and Nakahara which was won by Goda in 115 moves. More next week, Reijer -- Reijer Grimbergen Department of Information Science Saga University 1 Honjo-machi, Saga-shi, 840-8502 Japan E-mail: grimbergen fu is saga-u ac jp URL: http://www.fu.is.saga-u.ac.jp/~grimberg/ Tel: +81-(0)952-28-8821 Fax: +81-(0)952-28-8650